



a- 



60th Congress, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. J Report 

1st Session. \ 1 No. 1176. 



TO ESTABLISH A BIOLOGICAL AND FISH-CULTURAL 
STATION IN THE IPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 



March 6, 1908. — Coininitted to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
the Union and ordered to be printed. 



Mr. Wilson, of Illinois, from the Committee on the Merchant Marine 
and Fisheries, submitted the following 

REPORT. 

[To accompany H. R. 13659.] 

The Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom 
was referred the bill (H. R. 18659) to establish a biological and tish- 
cnltural station in the Second Congressional district of the State of 
Iowa, having considered the same, respectfully report with the recom- 
mendation that it do pass with the following amendments, to wit: 

Amend the title of the bill so as to read: "A bill to establish a 
biological and fish-cultural station in the upper Mississippi Valley." 

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the 
following: 

That the Secretary of Commerce and Labor is hereby authorized and directed to 
establish and equip a biological and tish-cultural station for the propagation of 
fresh-water mussels in the Upper Mississippi River V^ alley at some suitable point 
to be selected by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor; the cost of establishing the 
same, including purchase of site, construction of buildings and ponds, and equip- 
ment, not to exceed the sum of twentv-tive thousand dollars. 

The purpose of this bill is to make possible the perpetuation of the 
supply of raw material for the growing American industry of manu- 
facturing pearl buttons from the shells of fresh-water mussels and the 
industries collateral to it. By reason of the growth and development 
of this industry the supply of mussel shells is threatened with exhaus- 
tion. By establishing the station proposed in this bill it is believed 
that the question of artiticial propagation will be completely solved, 
and that the supply of these shells will be perpetuated by propagation 
which can henceforth be carried on without material additional expense 
to the Government. 

In the last session of Congress an additional appropriation of money 
for scientific investigation under the United States Fish Commission 
was granted for the purpose of making an investigation of^ the fresh- 
water mussels of the United States in their relation to the pearl-button 



i-iyw^ 



2 FISH-CITLTUKAL STATION IN UPPER MISSISSIPPI ^'ALrTEY. 

industry. This investigation was ordered bv the S<^eretary of Com- 
merce and Labor on a sliowing made to him that this Amerfcan indus- 
try of manufacturing pearl buttons from the shells of fresh-water 
mussels had grown to considerable proportions during the past few- 
years, and that the rapidity with which these shells were beino- taken 
from the streams of the United States threatened the extinction of these 
mussels, thereby cutting off the source of the raw material for this 
industry and the consequent doom of tli^ industry. It was found that 
comparatively little knowledge had been obtained bv scientists and 
mvestigators regarding the life history of our fresh-water mussels, 
and so a commission was created under the supervision of Prof. Paul 
Bartsch, an eminent biological authority. This commission made an 
examination of many of the principal streams of the country where the 
fresh-water nmssels abound and secured nnich valuable information on 
the subject. The work of this commission has been carried forward 
by Professors Lefevre and Curtis, of the University of Missouri, who, 
by the way, have been conducting these investigations without' com- 
pensation. They have determined the mode of development of fresh- 
water mussels, and it has been found to differ from what occurs m 
any of their marine relatives. This difference lies in the fact that the 
embryo lives for a time as a parasite upon fresh-water fishes and can 
only develop in this parasitic condition. 

With this fact established, careful experiments have been made in 
inoculating fishes with these embrj^o clams. These experiments have 
been conducted by Professors Lefevre and Curtis, and the results 
thereof indicate that the infection of fishes on a large scale is entirely 
possible, and that there is ample reason to believe in the success o'^f 
such work in building up the supply of mussels. 

It is clearly pointed out that the steady decline of the beds demands 
some such remedial measures if the supply is to be maintained for 
more than a very few years. There are still many fundamental scien- 
tific facts relating to the subject which are yet to "be determined. For 
example, we do not know the exact breeding seasons of any one of the 
button mussels. We do not know what fish are best adapted to carry- 
ing the glochidia of each species, nor what are the best methods for 
work on a large scale. These facts can be ascertained if proper facili- 
ties for work are provided, and they must be ascertained before the 
process of artificial propagation can be established on a sound basis; 
but since many of them can only be learned by the actual experience 
of attempting artificial propagation on a large" scale the investigation 
and the propagation must go hand in hand. To carry on such work 
properly, there is necessary a station, properly equipped, for the whole- 
sale collecting and transporting of fish and mussels to the tanks and 
ponds of the station, where the infections are to be performed. In this 
way there could be liberated hundreds-of thousands of fishes loaded with 
these embryo clams, and thus sow these clams broadcast in our rivers. 
It may be added that this process of propagation is in no way harmful 
to the fish. 

The establishment of such a station as is provided for in this bill is 
recommended by the United States Commissioner of Fisheries. 

The following statement of the principal facts in the life history of 
our fresh-water mussels and the means proposed for incieasing" the 
supply w^as written by Professors Lefevre and Curtis, who have°been 
and are now conducting experiments under the direction of the United 

D. or D. 



5 FISH-CULTURAL STATION IN UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. '^ 

^ States Fish Commission. This statement is made a part of the report 
^ and will be found most interesting: 

The fre^h-water clams or mussels of the United States and similar forms from 
other parts of the world exhibit a mode of development which differs from what 
occurs in any of their marine relatives. This difference lies in the fact that the 
embryo lives for a time as a parasite upon the gills or fins of fresh-water fishes, and 
can only develop in this parasitic condition, the life history being, briefly, as follows: 
The eggs of the female clam are fertilized by the sperm of the male, which enters the 
body of the female in the water current that brings the clam its food. These eggs 
begin development within the female, where they are contained in sacks formed by 
the animal's gill. Development proceeds as far as a stage known as the glochidium 
(PI. ia), which has the two halves of a nuniature shell and looks much like a gaping 
clam shell, but which has none of the internal organs necessary for the life which 
the adult clam leads in the mud of the bottom. 

The glochidia are shed out of the parent as they become ripe and they fall to the 
bottom, where, having no power of locomotion, they remain motionless unless washed 
about by the currents. Experiments prove that they will die before many days 
when left in this condition. If, however, the glochidium chances to come in contact 
with the fins or gills of a fish, which brushes against the silt of the bottom, it fastens 
itself, and within twenty-four hours has caused the skin of the fish to grow over it, 
so that the young mussel is completely imbedded within the living tissue of the fish. 
In this (condition it rests securely, receiving its food from the blood of its host, and 
leading a truly parasitic existencfe for some months. During this period the glo- 
chidium changes until all the organs of the adult are developed, though it has not 
increased in size. At the end of its parasitic existence, when the organs are fully 
formed, the young clam effects the tissue of the fish in such a way that the skin opens 
and the young clam drops to the bottom, where it begins the life which it will lead 
throughout the remainder of its existence. 

The attachment to a fish is entirely a matter of chance, but where nmssels and fish 
are abundant it must often occur under natural conditions, as is seen from the exami- 
nation of fish taken in nature. Still the fishes thus infected will almost never be 
found carrying as many of the parasites as they can without serious injury. If the 
fish are taken and placed in a tub or bucket of water containing large numbers of 
glochidia, which have been obtained from removing them from the ripe mussel, it is 
possible to cause the attachment of hundreds of the parasites for every one that 
would be found there by the chance of nature. A fish under 6 inches in length may 
thus be riiade to carry several hundred glochidia, and thus a thousand fish artificially 
infected may do the work of several hundred thousand in a state of nature. 

PJxperiments with small numliers of fish under observation in the laboratory 
indicate that their infection on a large scale is entirely possible, and the experiment 
now in progress at La Cro.'sse, in wliich over 25,000 young fish have thus been infected, 
gives every indication that such Avork may be begun even with the scanty knowledge 
we now possess. 

While there is ample reason to believe in the eventual success of such work in 
keeping up the supply of mussels, and while the steady decline of the beds demands 
some such remedial measures, if the supply is to be maintained for more than a very 
few years, we are not yet in a position to proceed safely with this work, because we 
are still ignorant of many fundamental scientific facts. For example, we do not know 
the exact breeding seasons of any one of the button mussels. We do not know what 
fish are best adapted to carrying the glochidia of each species, nor what are the best 
methods for work on a large scale. These facts can be ascertained if proper facilities 
for work are provided, and they must be ascertained before the process of artificial 
propagation can be established on a sound basis. But since many of them can only 
be learned by the actual experience of attempting artificial propagation on a large 
scale, the investigation and propagation must go hand in hand. To carry on such 
work properly, there is necessary a station properly equipped with l)oats and a 
steamer for the wholesale collecting and transporting of fish and mussels alive to the 
tanks and ponds of the station where the infection could l)e performed. 

Nature is jirodigal with the sujiply of glochidia, but so great is the chance again.st 
any ever fastening themselves upon the fish and against any ever dropping from the 
fi&ii to a place on the bottom where they can succeed in the struggle for life that, 
with the added destruction of hundreds of millions of shells each year for com- 
mercial purposes, we may easily exterminate before many years the forms upon 
which the button industry depends. If we can discover the places in the life history 
where the waste is greatest and aid the species at those critical stages, there is every 
reason to hope that the supply of mussels can be ma<le to etjual if not surpass the 
numbers existing when the first button was cut. 



4 FISH-CULTURAL STATION IN UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 

Legislation against fishing must also be made use of as soon as we know enough of 
the habits and breeding seasons to propose measures that are likely to be a real pro- 
tection. Until then all such laws should be discouraged, however strong may be the 
wishes of the manufacturers or others to preserve any local supply. We are as likely 
to do harm as good in the making of such laws without adequate knowledge, and the 
revision of bad laws would probal>ly he more difficult than the passage of new ones. 

In conclusion, we may say that the parasitism on the fish makes the propagation 
of mussels go hand in hand with the propagation of our fresh-water fishes, since the 
fish is in no wise injured by the presence of the parasites. When we liberate a hun- 
dred fish each loaded with its hundreds of glochidia we not only sow the clams 
broadcast on the bottom but we are also distributing fish which, when their work 
for the clams is done, are just as useful as though they had never known such an 
experience. Wholesale infection gives every promise of success, but the means 
must be provided at once for work on a large scale, and unless something radical is 
soon accomplished the making of buttons from our fresh-water shells is doomed. 

As indicating the size of the pearl-button industry in the United 
States and the large number of wage-earners engaged in such manu- 
facture, the following table, taken from the report of the Census of 
Manufacturers for 1905, gives a comparative summary of the industry 
by States for the years 1905 and 1900: 

Comparative summary — Fresh-ivater pearl buttons and button blanks, by States: 1905 
. and 1900. 





Cen- 


o a) 




Salaried offi- 
cials, clerks, 
ete. 


Wage-earners 
and wages. 


Miscel- 
laneous 

ex- 
penses. 


Cost of 

materials 

used. 


Value of 


S^*^**- SUS. 




t,4 

a 

D 

2; 


Salaries. 


Mai 

gg Wages. 


products. 


United States. 


1905 
1900 

1905 
1900 
1905 
1905 
1900 
1900 
1905 
1900 
1905 
1900 
1905 
1900 
1905- 
1900 
1906 
1900 
1905 
1900 
^905 
51900 


150 '83,234,379 
122 r, 109, 572 


385 
117 


$276,491 
85,646 


5,085 
3,574 


81,621,669 
1,147,252 


S319,593 
89,414 


11,911,187 
940,838 


1S4,926,458 
2,766,053 


Illinois 


13 148, 313 

10 37, 643 

3 67, 901 

51 1 1 173 Sfifi 


16 8,530 1 259 

11 6,172 237 

4 3,460 : 139 

116 74 fi85 1 1 QSfi 


95,486 

85, 071 

39, 459 

653,520 

438, 168 

141,200 

55,314 

17, 821 

140,311 

75, 679 

406, 837 

254, 027 

16, 224 

17,138 

117,568 

73,247 

58, 700 

32, 108 

38, 250 

12, 793 


14,280 1 54,353 
2,616 i 42,332 
4,035 14,042 

92, 530 f>3.^ Q1 7 


209, 500 
181,704 

69,068 

1,500,945 

822,478 

304, 400 

136, 994 

34,529 

480,765 

310, 954 

1, 844, 432 

771,482 

50, 216 

56,008 
333,732 
193, 823 
164, 229 

63, 125 
136,577 

27, 550 


Indiana- 

Iowa 


Massachusetts •' . 
Missouri 

New Jersey 

New York 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania .. 

Wisconsin 

All other states. 


50 
3 

8 

8 

11 

11 

27 

15 

3 

3 

8 

6 

17 

9 

9 

7 


314, 685" 

270, 597 

126, 968 

26, 995 

273,215 

77,550 

904, 447 

155, 834 

59,008 

48, 120 

303, 830 

110, 299 

113,340 

34,499 

63,491 

33,350 


38 
10 
IB 

1 
22 

9 

163 

28 

5 

i 

4 
11 
4 

7 
6 


24,756 

19,200 

5. 671 

300 

29,584 

9,500 

122, 300 

16, 613 
2,539 
4,086 

19, 826 
2, 424 
5,420 
1,425 
4,476 
1.170 


1,335 
388 
180 

64 
330 
193 
1,461 
906 

66 

66 
397 
223 
187 

96 
130 

66 


30, 853 
12, 783 

7,588 

962 

36, 491 

4,323 
96, 952 
19,355. 

4,002 

5,487 
47,020 

3,875 

10, 510 

■^ 1,830 

6, 185 

1,330 


185, 257 

72, 188 

34, 135 

12,525 

199, 114 

129, 569 

818, 679 

366, 040 

23, 796 

19, 962 

135, 019 

87, 697 

58, 064 

18, 751 

40,068 

6,517 



1 Includes $556,217 worth of oceaD pearl buttons. 

-No establishments reported in 1900. 

^Included in " all other Stasts" in 1905. 

■•Includes establishments distributed as follows: Arkansas, 3; Massachusetts, 2; 
sissippi, 1; Nebraska, 1; Tennessee, 1. 

''Includes establishments distributed as follows: Arkansas, 1; California, 2; 
braska, 2. 



Minnesota, 1; Mis 
Minnesota, 2; Ne- 



FISH-CULTURAL STATION IN UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 5 

An unofficial statement of the fresh-water pearl button industry for 
the year 1906 is also submitted herewith. This report furnishes 
additional information regarding; the industry and is as follows: 

Fresh-water pearl button industry report, 1906. 

BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT, 

Amount of money invested in plant, machinery, etc $1, 488, 200 

Amount of business done during year 1906 5, 650, 000 

Number of gross manufactured during year 1906 25, 200, 000 

Average price of button, 21| cents per gross 5, 481, 000 

Amount of crushed shell waste material used for chicken feed, 30,726 

tons, at $5.50 per ton 169, 000 

Expended for paper boxes, cards, silver foil, etc 335, 000 

Amount of money paid in wages 3, 450, 000 

Amount of money paid for shells 737, 280 

HELP AND WAGES. 

3, 000 cutters (male), $14 average wages per week 42, 000 

1, 800 operators (female) $8 average wages per week 14, 200 

600 employed as foremen, $18 average wages per week 10, 800 

Manager, salesmen, buyers, office force. 

1, 000 employed at home sewing buttons (female) 3, 000 

6, 400 Total wages per week 69, 000 

50 weeks wages per year 3, 450, 000 

SHELLS. 

Amount of shells, district, etc. 



Wabash River 

Ohio River 

Arkansas River.. 
Mississippi River. 
Other rivers 



48,000 tons .shell, average price $1.5.36 , 



Tons. 
14, 400 
13, 440 
9,120 
8,640 
2,400 



Average 
price. 



48,000 



115. 00 
15.00 
15.00 
17.00 
15.00 



Total cost. 



S216, 000 

201,600 

136, 800 

146, 880 

36,000 



737, 280 
737, 280 



Estimated 3,000 clammers working five months in the year, average 
amount received by each man for year's work, besides amount received 
for pearls, etc. , for year $204. 50 

Freight paid for shells for year ' 120, 000. 00 

These tables do not indicate the full size of this comparatively new 
and growing industry. There are collateral industries which have 
grown up as a result of the manufacture of pearl buttons in the United 
States from fresh-water mussels. The sale of pearls and baroques 
which are found in these fresh-water mussels has grown to large pro- 
portions, and a conservative estimate would place the value of these 
pearls at $1,000,000 per annum. Another industr}^ which has grown 
up as a result of the manufacture of buttons from these shells is the 
manufacture of buckles and other articles of adornment, including 
stick pins, brooches, and other articles of jewelry. No data are at hand 
as to the magnitude of this particular industry, but it has already 
attained considerable proportions. 



6 FISH-CULTURAL STATION IN UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 

In addition the manufacture of button-making machinery has 
grown to considerable proportions, and the progress in the manu- 
facture of buttons is marked by a corresponding progress in the 
manufacture of labor-saving machines, some of which rival the modern 
typesetting machines in their intricacy and perfection of action. 

In the light of these facts the committee recommends the passage 
of the bill. 

o 



60th Congress, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, i Kept. 1176, 

1st Session. j ( Part 2. 



TO ESTABLISH A BIOLOGICAL AND FISH-CULTURAL 
STATION IN THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. 



March 13, 1908. — Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
the Union and ordered to be printed. 



Mr. Spight, from the Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fish- 
eries, submitted the following- as the 

VIEWS OF THE MINORITY. 

[To actornpany H. R. lo(>59.] 

The bill as reported b\' the committee oug'ht not to pass. 

This bill is in the interest of the manufacturers of pearl buttons, 
1 already, under general law, ampl}- protected bj' a tariff dut}'. 

This proposition goes far beyond the doctrine of protection. It 
seeks to have the Government appropriate money from the Treasury 
to advance the interests of a private enterprise operated for profit. It 
is altogether different from the tish hatcheries established by the Gov- 
ernment for the breeding- of young fishes of approved varieties and 
their distribution to the water courses, lakes, and ponds all over the 
countr\' for increasing the food supply of all the people. The mussel 
is not edible, and its only value is its shell, which is of use solely to 
the button factories. The effect of this bill, if passed, will be to fur- 
nish raw material to these factories. As evidence that such is the 
purpose, an effort was made to amend the bill so as to limit its opera- 
tion to a scientific investigation as to the best method for the propa- 
gation of the fresh-water nuissel. This was promptly voted down b}^ 
the friends of the measitre. 

If we inaugurate the policy of appropriating public money for pri- 
vate enterprises, where shall the line be drawn ? It is said that the 
manufacture of pearl buttons, ornaments, etc., is a young and grow- 
ing industry in the United States, and that it gives employment to 
many wage-earners. Grant that this is so. It is equally true that it 
is a profitable business to those engaged in it or they would seek other 
avenues of investment. They are not in the business from any motives 
of patriotism or for the public good, but solely for private gain. The 
laborers are given work to do not because of S3aiipathy for the unem- 
ployed, but because their services are profitable to their employers. 



2 BIOLOGICAL AND FISH-CULTUKAL 'STATION. 

Then why should the public Treasury be made to contribute to their 
already profitable business? 

While the bill as originally presented has been so amended by its 
friends as to read, "A biological and fish-cultural station," the expres- 
sion is, perhaps unconsciously, misleading, because there is no dis- 
guising the fact that it is intended to apply alone to mussels. 

In the interest of the popularit}'^ of the measure it has been so 
amended as to apparently eliminate the restriction that the proposed 
plant shall be established in the Second Congressional district of Iowa, 
by substituting the words "In the Upper Mississippi River Valley." 
It may be, however, that there is no one so disingenuous as to suppose 
that the passage of the bill would mean anything else than that the 
station will be located in the Second district of Iowa, which is the only 
localit}'^ asking for it. 

We think the proposed legislation is unnecessary, unwise, and vicious 
in principle, and therefore oppose it. 

Tho. Spight. 

j. a. goulden. 

J. W. Alexander. 

Ci. W. Fairchild. 

J. T. Watkins. 

William E. Cox. 



